Improvement in potato-planters



2- Sheets-Sheet 1, F. S. MGWHORTER.

Potato-Planter. up; 20,001. PatlitedApn 20,1358.

' NJETERS, PHOTO-UTHOGRAFHER. WASHWG'ION. D C.

T I M W V W I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F. S. MOWHORTER.

Potato-Planter.

No. 20,001. 0 Patented A 20. 18. 58.

ILPETERS, PHOTU-LIYHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

E. s. MewHoR'rEmoE SMVYYRNA, DELAWARE.

IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO-PLANTER S.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 20,001, dated April 20, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, F. S. MOWHORTER, of Smyrna, in the countyof Kentand StateofDelaware, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Potato-Planters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan or top view of a potatoplanter with my improvements applied to it. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the same.

Similar letters of reference in each of the several figures indicate corresponding parts.

The nature of my invention consists in the employment of a transverse hopper having an inclined bottom and arranged on one side of the endless-chain conveyor, in combination with a longitudinal guide and retaining box which has its front portion inclined and its rear portion horizontal, and an adjustable brush which brushes off any surplus pieces of potatoes' which may collect in the cells or chambers of the endless conveyer.

To enable others skilled in the art to make anduse my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents the frame of a potato-planter B B the propelling-wheels,and'0 the conducting-tube; and D, the share for opening the ground. v V E is the endless chain of conveyers. arranged to run round pulleys F F.

' GB is the longitudinal guide and retaining box. Its front portion, H, is inclined and its rear portion, G, is horizontal, as shown.

I is the hopper which supplies the pieces of potato to the endless chain of conveyers. This hopper has its bottom inclined, so as to supply automatically, and is situated on one side at the rear end of the inclined guide-box. This hopper communicates with the inclined guide and retaining box by means of a lateral passage, d, which is regulated by a slide, J.

K is the brush which brushes out the surplus pieces of potato which may collect in the cells or chambers of the conveyers. This brush is situated above the inclined conveyer, justat the highest point of the inclined portion of the guide and, retaining box. This It is brush is adjustable higher or lower by sliding boxes 6 e of the frame, and is revolved rapidly by means of a belt-,f, leading from the pulleyshaft L of the endless conveyer. The motion to theendless conveyer and brush is obtained from the propelling-wheel by means of inter ing to the highest point of the inclined guidebox a chance remains of filling the same by hand, whereasif theinclination was continued to the conducting-tube no such chance would exist, and many hills might go unplanted.

v The advantage of having the adjustable brush is this: In case the inclination of the guide-box and the consequent tendency of the surplus pieces of potato to run back toward the hopper should not prevent the overcharging of some of the chambers or cells of the conveyor, it will forcibly return back the surplus pieces held by the cells or chambers thus -overcharged, and thereby insure a regular planting or the depositot' an equal number of pieces into each hill or spot. A

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The employment of a transverse hopper, I, having an inclined. bottom, and arranged on ,one sideof the endless chain conveyer O, in combination with alongitudinal guide and retaining box, G H, which has its rear portion inclined and its front portion horizontal, and a brush, K, which brushes off any surplus pieces of potatoes which may collect in the cells or chambers of the endless conveyer, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

' F. S. MCWHORTER.

Witnesses 

